Classic Beauty

Marvellous Hardstone Cameo of a Bacchante Set in Gold, Paris c. 1860

€ 2,890.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Unit price €2,890.00 / piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Marvellous Hardstone Cameo of a Bacchante Set in Gold, Paris c. 1860

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

This agate cameo from 19th century Paris is of almost unparalleled quality. It shows the profile of an antique beauty, an ivy-wreathed bacchante, in the finest and at the same time most detailed cut. Her facial expression is calm but natural, her robe, an antique peblos, lovingly crafted, her curls rendered by a master's hand in every strand. The two layers of the gemstone are a single piece of stone, with the upper white layer engraved in such a way that only the portrait remains and stands out against the dark background. Bacchantes are a typical subject of ancient cameos. Like their Greek counterpart, the maenad, bacchantes were followers of the god of wine Bacchus (Dionysus), who was famous and notorious for his lavish parties, the so-called "Bacchanalia". In later centuries, Bacchantes became synonymous with merry, fun-loving people, especially lovers of good wine. Their attributes are ivy leaves in their hair, sometimes also grapes. A comparison with the sculptural group La Bacchante by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (1824-1887), created at the same time and now in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, clearly shows how calm and beautiful the depiction of this cameo is. There, the sensual moment is the theme of the artwork, which nevertheless seems a little out of date to today's viewer, in its very rococo-like excess of the good. The cameo, however, shows the Bacchante as an ideal antique beauty. And thus manages to combine sensual pleasure and intellect. The stone carving with its gold setting was created around 1860 and the simple framing with black enamel inlays is typical of the period. The hallmarks on the setting also prove that the goldsmith's work was created in Paris. Numerous stone cutters from Idar-Oberstein in southern Germany worked in Paris at this time and created precious little works of art like this one.

Size & Details

Classic Beauty

€ 2,890.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Unit price €2,890.00 / piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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